Posts Tagged ‘Heritage’

This July, the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce held their monthly networking event at our new Heritage Toyota Parts and Service Building. The event was a great success, attracting over 150 Chamber members. Heritage Toyota provided catering, door prizes, entertainment, H-Team members, and of course – Rusty Dewees.

We’d like to thank the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce for letting Heritage Toyota host the networking event, and hope all who attended had a great time!.

We’re very excited to announce that we’re a part of WeAreVT.com, a new blog about what’s going on in Vermont, documented by those who live here. Check out Vermont’s newest blog and discover what’s going on in this wonderful state!

One of the most mystifying portions of the car buying process for customers is when a salesperson values their car for trade in. Most customers are left wondering “How did they get that number?” It doesn’t have to be such a mystery.

The first and most important thing to know is that your vehicle isn’t inspected by a mechanic; it’s evaluated by a sales manager. They base their trade offer on the car’s feel as it drives, engine sound, and visible condition. You can do a lot to affect the value of your vehicle before you visit a dealership that will make the process smoother, and potentially get you more money for your trade:

Clean your car – Dirt caked on the exterior could be hiding body or paint damage. The appraiser can’t clean it, so they’re going to assume the worst case scenario and deduct $300-$500 to cover any “surprises”.

Fix windshield cracks and chips – Most insurance plans cover this at no cost to you, but it costs a dealer upwards of $600 to fix, and they dock that from your trade offer.

Know your car’s mechanical issues and their severity – A rattle or check engine light could mean a multitude of things. A dealer will protect their interests, which could mean deducting anywhere from $300 – $1000, unless you can tell them what the rattle or light really is. Then they only dock the cost of that specific repair.

Bring everything – Bring your spare keys, extra sets of tires and a Carfax Report, if you have them. The more information the appraiser has the less they have to guess. Additional items, like an extra set of usable tires, also raise the resale value.

Supply and demand – Use the laws of supply and demand to your advantage by trading a 4 wheel drive vehicle during the fall and winter, or a front wheel drive, 4-cylinder vehicle during the spring and summer

Don’t withhold information – Hold your trade to the same expectations and honest evaluation you would when you shop for a car and you’ll walk out with the most money.

To hear more about the trade-in process check out this video with the H-Team’s used car manager, Ryan Denecker, and feel free to contact the H-Team with any questions on your trade

Despite the unseasonably warm weather and lack snow we’ve had in the Champlain Valley thus far this winter, it’s still time to decide whether you’re going to keep your all season tires on your car or put on some winter tires. Here at Heritage, we’re often asked why someone should switch over their tires and if they really need to switch to winter tires.

First, winter tires were built for handling snow, much like many Vermonters. The treads of a winter tire are designed to push snow out on every rotation; therefore you always have clean treads to grip the snowy roads. The softer rubber used in these treads is designed to move and allow snow to filter through instead of trapping it. All season tires are made of a harder rubber and are great for gripping a dry, paved road, but once there is snow on the ground it fills the treads creating an extremely slick tire surface. Unlike winter tires, the snow isn’t pushed out of the treads and is packed down on every tire rotation until the treads can’t fill with any more snow.

Does this mean that everyone who may drive on snow should invest in winter tires? Not necessarily; the decision should also factor in your location. If you live in Chittenden County on a paved road, you can get away with all season tires much easier than someone who lives in Waitsfield or Jericho and relies on unpaved back roads.

The biggest resistance we receive when talking to customers about snow tires is regarding the price. Consider this, when you buy an additional set of tires that will be used for 6 months out of the year, your all season tires are also not being used for 6 months, it essentially doubles the life of both sets of tires. We hope you make the best decision for you, your wallet, and your car. If you have any questions regarding winter tire safety, please stop by or give us a call; we’re more than happy to help.